How have stereotypes of Asian American women as hyper-competitive, emotionally abusive “tiger mothers” become so widely and easily accepted? What do these stereotypes obscure about the actual challenges of gender, work and family facing second-generation Asian American women as they become mothers? Drawing on interview data with 80 participants, this study shows how various forms of inequality and exclusion have shaped Asian American mothering as a high stakes arena for these women, their families, communities and struggles for reproductive justice